Long before superheroes took over the screens. There were flesh-and-blood action heroes before Marvel and DC sought the niche of action cinema with their characters. Nostalgia always gets the better of me and I can’t resist returning to those action movies and characters from the 80s and 90s that paved my way to the movies. Stallone, Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Steven Seagal, Bruce Lee… these legends and many others dominated the big screen with their epic adventures from which they always emerged victorious.

The action genre changed over time and only a few films stayed true to its original DNA. In recent decades, superheroes have replaced that traditional action figure and have completely taken over the genre to the point of creating a subgenre within it. Only a few figures have been able to make their way out of the world of capes and superpowers. The eternal Tom Cruise with his Ethan Hunt from the Mission Impossible saga, Keanu Reeves with his John Wick, and Jason Statham with his Transporter and other characters. We can add to that mix Liam Neeson’s unusual transformation when he immersed himself in the Taken series

The Indonesian New Wave

 These days it is refreshing to find titles that decide to revive the spirit of traditional action cinema and that is precisely what The Shadow Strays (2024) by Timo Tjahjanto does. The Indonesian has built his career on the horror and action genres. Films such as Killers (2014), Headshot (2016), and The Night Comes for Us (2018), elevated him as one of the most important directors of action cinema and confirmed that Indonesian cinema remains at the forefront of the film genre. of action.

The internationalization of Indonesian action cinema began in 2011 when The Raid: Redemption starring Iko Uwais surprised the world and made its place among the best action films in the history of cinema. Martial arts star Iko Uwais would later collaborate with director Timo Tjahjanto to establish himself as an international action star. The Shadow Strays is the perfect example to understand why this new Indonesian action cinema has captured so much attention. The film does not try to invent anything new; it remains faithful to the norms of the genre and stands out for its refined level of production accompanied by a script that holds up very well without pretensions but with a solid foundation.

The Shadow Strays

After a complicated mission in Japan, Agent 13 (Aurora Ribero) is sent home where she must wait for orders from her superiors. While 13 waits for his next mission he meets Monji, a boy who has just lost his mother to a gangster. A series of unexpected situations cause 13 to end up becoming Monji’s protector, which unleashes a spiral of violence with members of the local mafia.

Director Tjahjanto captures us from the first sequence of Fuera De Las Sombras. The snowy landscape in a remote Japanese forest, the guards dressed in their black suits, and the villain wearing a traditional Japanese costume make us think of the famous Duel at the House of Blue Leaves in the magnificent Kill Bill Vol.1 (2003) Quentin Tarantino. Without a doubt, the Indonesian takes a lot from Tarantino to compose that brutal beginning. The production design is phenomenal and the rhythm that the director instills in those first minutes sets the tone for the rest of the film. Along with the direction work and cinematography, we must highlight the wonderful work of Muhammad Irfan in coordinating the fight sequences. Irfan is the common factor in all those Indonesian cinema films that we have already mentioned in this article.

The Shadow Strays relies entirely on its action sequences to move the story forward. While Ribero’s performance as Agent 13 and all the villains she must face are convincing, it is the work of Tjahjanto in the direction and Irfan in coordinating the fights that makes the film transcend. Ultraviolence is the trademark of this new wave of Indonesian action and Tjahjanto does not hesitate to compose scenes that are visually striking and visceral.

For action movie lovers, The Shadow Strays is a must-see. The film hits the accelerator full from minute one and does not lower the intensity throughout its 2 hours and 24 minutes.